Common Mistakes That Ruin Your CS2 Rank

Stuck starring at a disappointing rank and confused by this misrepresentation of your skill, you are not alone. Ups and downs are essential to any player’s journey, but the most important part of progression is not staying in those down moments. Sometimes, even the smallest mistakes can hold you back from reaching the highest of ranks within CS2.

Most players believe that hard work and persistent training are the paths to becoming the best. Though these factors will truly allow you to achieve progress, inevitably, progress will plateau as the same simple mistakes continue to occur, overlooked by hours of training. In this article, we will look through some of the most common mistakes you might be making that are holding you back.

What Are Some Of The Most Common Mistakes Within Counter-Strike?

10. Early CT Rotation

This is a widespread mistake. Visible in even the highest level of pro play, rotating prematurely can cost you and your team the round, and the game, as a presumably key location, can be overrun by opposing players. Various issues can cause this problem, the most prevalent being the premature rush. It’s happened to all of us before: a teammate communicates that the entire team is rushing to the opposite site, and as you rotate across the map, you are left crushed as you hear the terrorist planting on the site that you were under the impression was empty. Though a lack of communicative skills is not on you as an individual, learning the signs of a proper rush can greatly improve your probability of an adequately timed rotation.

9. Giving Away Your Position

Knowing when to sprint entirely rather than when to creep onto a site slowly is a crucial skill to learn. An infinite solid site rushes have been ruined by the strange sense of silence that stops the bomb from being planted early within a round. Additionally, running in an inappropriate situation can communicate your position and your team’s position to the enemy team. Communicating with your team is vital with this mistake, as one person running or crouching can ruin even the best of plays.

8. Not Calling Flashes

We all know that dreaded screen of white that leaves the strongest of gamers blind. This highly effective piece of utility known as the flash can become a tool of the enemy within seconds when the user is not paying attention to the surrounding environment. Communicating to your team when and where you will throw a flashbang is imperative to the round. This mistake can be put to rest through the simplest communication as teammates. After being flashed by a teammate, don’t be like the many players who would be instantaneously turned to the dark side; instead, recall what it was like for you as a new player and have some sympathy for the newest generation of CS2 players.

7. Chasing Losses

It has been proven that the mental state of an individual, regardless of the sport, game, or environment, greatly affects a person’s performance. This is why the idea of chasing losses should be buried very early within your CS2 career, as chasing a loss can only lead to more mistakes. The most common effect of playing more after a succession of losses is the continuation of failure; regardless of the player, you slowly become increasingly frustrated (or “tilted”). An extremely simple fix to this problem is to simply put down the game; whether it be a short 15-minute break to watch a YouTube video or, better yet, hours spent on a hobby or time spent outdoors, taking a break is the best way to overcome a losing streak.

6. Un-Coordinated T Side

Playing T side without a strategy or even the smallest ounce of a plan sets your match for failure. The widespread tactic of doing whatever won’t work in even the lowest ranks. Formulating a plan, whether the most straightforward “Let’s go A site ” or the most complicated individual plays, can be game-changing as you don’t have to wander around too confused about what’s happening.

5. Not Using Utility

Such kind developers have blessed us with many fancy gadgets meant to be used! Going an entire match without buying the simplest flashbang should be your nightmare. Utilizing smokes, flashes, and grenades/incends can shape the game. Util does not have to be flashy; even throwing a grenade at an enemy is better than simply standing there lost like a child. Of course, as you progress on your ranke journey, there is great value in learning lineups and more, but simply getting a feel for utility in the early ranks can be essential to escaping the dreaded silver.

4. Don’t Be a Loser – Buy a Defuser

This entire section could almost be three words: “Buy it.” choosing not to buy to a defuser is one of the biggest mistakes you can make as a CT player. Cutting the defuse time from 10 seconds to 5 seconds that time is the hugest example of appropriately spending your money. How about buying a defuser instead of investing in an AWP on an eco round? Quite literally, this mistake is the easiest out of them all: BUY A DEFUSER!

3. Improper Buys

Without question, every CS2 player has experienced a teammate purchasing a 4750$ AWP as the entire team is rushing on an eco, or worse, you might have been that player. Properly learning and researching terms such as eco, force, and complete buy can be critical points of communication improvement between your team. In a game focused on team play, individuals buy well, while others are stuck with Glocks or p2000s, which is quite literally pure stupidity. The simplest fix to this mistake is to feel round and acknowledge what the players around you are doing; if you see everyone with pistols, do NOT buy an AWP or vice versa.

For a complete guide on the basics of economy in CS2, check out our economy guide!

CS2 Economy

2. Incomplete Map Knowledge

Running around a maze for hours should be left for mice in labs and children in corn mazes, not CS2 players. Maps have been designed with efficiency in mind; you need to utilize this if you are looking to maintain your current rank. Whether it be OG maps such as Mirage, Dust 2, Ancient, or Nuke, hundreds of guides exist on utilizing the map properly. If you are feeling too lazy to click a YouTube link, even walking around the map before queuing can be a great way to learn the layout without spending time on external sites.

For complete guides on how to master all CS2's maps, check out our map guides!

CS2 Map Guides

1. Poor Crosshair Placement

This is essential to any FPS game, not just CS2. As far as CS2 mistakes come, this is often the one that will make your teammates cringe. Seeing what could have been an amazing hold ruined by a crosshair just slightly below or above head level will bring even the strongest individuals to tears. Another common issue is simply using the wrong crosshair for you; fiddling for at least a couple of games with your custom crosshair is important to find a match for you. Spending time practicing resting your crosshair at head level is beyond essential to your experience when ranking up. In almost every match, the person with the best crosshair placement will beat even the most skilled players simply because head taps become second nature through the most uncomplicated adjustments. Guaranteed opponents will be left beyond stunned if you can fix the dreaded poor crosshair placement.

There are many ways to improve within CS2, but we believe avoiding these mistakes can improve your gameplay. If we missed any tips you found helpful or have anything to add to our tips, please feel free to leave a comment below!